Poker Gives – Cardplayer Lifestyle https://cardplayerlifestyle.com Wed, 16 Aug 2023 22:57:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3 Top 10 Highlights of Mixed Game Festival V https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/top-10-highlights-of-mixed-game-festival-v/ Tue, 01 Aug 2023 14:42:16 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=59823 It’s amazing to look back now, in August 2023, and think that Cardplayer Lifestyle has successfully put on five Mixed Game Festivals. Back in late 2019, the idea was just a twinkle in my eye! Our first one was supposed to have been announced in March 2020 — of course we had to put things on hold for 1.5 years until finally announcing it. Fast forward some, and less than two years after staging our first one, we’ve now got a handful under our belts.

With each new Mixed Game Festival, it’s important to me to try and improve, tweak, and ensure that we do better than the previous time. I obviously have my personal goals to fulfill, but above all, my three aims always are that the venue enjoy hosting our players, that sponsors feel glad to have supported the event, and that our players have a great time. Beyond that, of course, the uniqueness of our festivals — versus other “meet up games” — is that they are designed to help promote and grow mixed game poker.

I’d like to believe that we once again achieved all of our goals with Mixed Game Festival V, which wrapped up a few weeks ago at Resorts World Las Vegas. I can’t help but smile and think back to a number of highlights where I believe we truly succeeded. I’ve put together my top 10 and have listed them below, as well as why I specifically believe these are highlights worth reminiscing about.

three tables Mixed Game Festival V

Poker Trivia Competition

A festival — by definition — needs to be festive. Beyond just playing poker, we try to incorporate some elements to ensure that our participants 1) show up on time to begin the cash games each day, and 2) have the opportunity to win some cool merchandise and have a great time. Historically, these have included pizza parties and poker book signings.

My daughter Abby suggested that I utilize the Kahoot! portal to create a poker trivia competition. It obviously took some time to prepare, but it was certainly a worthwhile endeavor. Admittedly, one of the most enjoyable parts for me was coming up with incorrect answers for the multiple choice quiz. Special thanks goes to Chad McVean, our Social Media director, who assisted me in running the poker trivia competition. We had close to a dozen people show up to play, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

Scavenger Hunt

Another new element we incorporated into Mixed Game Festival V was a scavenger hunt. I had put together a list of 20 items that participants needed to take pictures of and with. At first, only half a dozen people showed up for this one. However, once our cash games began, a wait list formed and rather than just sit and wait, another half dozen players mentioned they wanted to do the scavenger hunt, too, so we ran it back and did so.

It was pretty amusing to see the first hunt’s winner, Mike Patrick, hurtle himself down the final stretch towards the poker room after just 20 minutes, having successfully completed the entire list. It was great to see that every players took the hunt seriously, and put in just as much effort as they did at the felt to try and emerge victorious.

I was elated to see that all of the participants really enjoyed themselves even though of course there could only be a few winners.

Miami John’s unscheduled visit

Something else we try to do to enhance the player experience at our Mixed Game Festivals is arrange for some poker celebrity appearances. I’m grateful that we’ve had the support of many professionals in the poker community who have kindly come out to splash around with our players in the low-stakes dealers choice streets. With that said, I usually make arrangements for these appearances ahead of time, so when a poker celebrity shows up unannounced it’s certainly a welcome surprise.

Prior to Mixed Game Festival V, “Miami” John Cernuto had reached out to me asking if we would be staging any tournaments. I told him that this time it would be an exclusively cash game affair. He said “OK,” and we left it at that. So you could imagine my shocked expression to see him walk in on the second day of MGF V. As I stood up to greet him, John just said “I came to support what you’re doing,” and he proceeded to play $4/$8 limit mixed games with our players for the next hour while I enjoyed a lovely chat with his daughter Debi.

Miami John and daughter Debi

John Maley, “Mr. All-Nighter”

The grand prize for this festival was a PokerStars-sponsored EPT Cyprus Mixed Game Package valued at over $3,000. For every hour of cash game play, a player would earn one entry into the random drawing for the prize package. We’ve done this sort of giveaway before, so it’s no surprise that many players try to put in as many hours as possible. One player, however, took this to an entirely new level.

John Maley drove in from Southern California straight to the Resorts World poker room. He played throughout the day, continued playing throughout the night… and continued further throughout the following day. When he finally got up from the table, over 31 hours had passed and he still looked fresh as a daisy. Only then did John take his bags and check into his hotel room. Having a player that dedicated to playing low-stakes mixed games is just out of this world.

Eli Elezra comes to play my stack

I’m very fortunate to be able to say that over the past few years since I translated his biography, Pulling the Trigger, from Hebrew into English, Poker Hall of Famer Eli Elezra and I have grown to become very good friends. Eli has always been super kind to come and sign some books at our Mixed Game Festivals as well as splash around with our players. So, I knew he’d make an appearance this time around, but I didn’t know when.

While I was speaking with one of our players, he smiled and told me to turn around. What I saw is that Eli had suddenly appeared in the room and just sat down in my seat, where he proceeded to play my chip stack. I couldn’t help but laugh, but also head over to give him a hug and show my appreciation for his support. For those curious, after about 20 minutes, Eli had successfully added a couple dozen dollars to my chip stack.

Silent auction for two BBO Poker Table Tops

George Chao, CEO of BBO Poker Tables, has always been a supporter of our events. This time around, he contributed half a dozen portable table mats as giveaway items. On the last day of the festival, I still had two that I hadn’t yet distributed. So, I asked some players what would be a good way to give away the two remaining mats.

Someone suggested a silent auction, whereby it would cost a $1 chip to place a bid, and after all bids were submitted the highest one would win. That person’s winning bid plus all of the $1 chips collected would then be equally distributed among the dealers at our mixed game tables. We did this twice, and thus successfully distributed close to $150 in tips to our dealers!

Higher stakes mixed games with Norman, Jan, and Linda

Prior to Mixed Game Festival V, our dealers choice mixed games had exclusively been for stakes of $4/$8 and $8/$16. This time around, Norman Chad agreed to host a special Omaha 8/Stud 8 game for his regular $20/40 stakes on the final day of our festival.

I was happy to see that close to a dozen players signed up ahead of time on the wait list. Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson and Women in Poker Hall of Famer Jan Fisher got seats at the table, too. I’m glad to see that our festivals were able to attract crowds interested in mixed games at multiple price points, and I hope this is something we’ll be able to replicate at future events.

Norman Chad Linda Johnson Jan Fisher

Alek Gillies wins the EPT Cyprus Prize Package

To be fair, whomever would have won the grand prize package would have made this festival’s highlight reel. With that said, it gives me special pleasure that our grand prize winner is a 21-year-old who had never really played mixed games before.

I had the pleasure of playing with Alek for a couple hours, and while he readily admitted that he had no idea how to play mixed games, that nonetheless didn’t stop him from having a great, positive attitude and being willing to learn one new variant after another.

For poker to thrive, we always have to attract new audiences, which means “newly minted” 21-year-olds who can now play legally in poker rooms. Mixed game poker is no different, and it’s always good to lower the average age at the felt and see some 20-somethings enjoying themselves playing dealer’s choice.

Alek Gillies

Post-Festival Shawarma with Brian, Pat, and Matt

We don’t exactly have a “closing ceremony” for our festivals, so after the grand prize is given out, cash games just sort of continue until people get tired of playing and then go their separate ways. This time around, I wanted to celebrate with a nice dinner.

Rather than head to a kosher Las Vegas restaurant alone, it was a special pleasure to bring along some guys who’ve become close friends from one Mixed Game Festival to the next, Pat, Brian, and Matt. Sure, the food at Mother Falafel was great, but the company was what made the meal a memorable one.

shawarma

Charity donations fund a Monday night feeding of the homeless

Ever since our first Mixed Game Festival, there has always been a charity component to our events. I had advertised ahead of time that a portion of proceeds from the poker trivia competition and scavenger hunt would go towards the volunteer-powered Poker Gives charity. Altogether, we were able to collect a total of $300, and a couple button clicks later, the money had been donated.

It’s one thing to just say the money is being given to charity, but it’s entirely another to witness the charity itself being given, and the gratitude from the recipients. I’m grateful that we were able to use Mixed Game Festival V as a vehicle for doing good for some needy people in the Las Vegas community, as you can see in the video below.

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RecPoker | Episode 493 – Lupe Soto https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/recpoker-episode-493-lupe-soto/ Fri, 21 Jul 2023 18:28:09 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=59716 This week, if we can make it through some technical issues early on, we are throwing back to an excellent interview of Lupe Soto by Kim “PetVet” Kilroy as part of her Poker Empowerment series! Lupe is the founder of Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS), and a member of the Senior Poker Tour, Women in Poker Hall of Fame, Vegas Connected, Poker Gives, and the Women’s Poker Association (WPA). An important member of the poker industry and advocate for women in poker. Lupe talks about various ventures and projects aimed at women in poker, including some ways that men can show their support (Are you a Purple Tie Guy?) Plus we give away a free prize at the end for folks in the YouTube chat. Join us LIVE on YouTube next Monday at 7:30 ET for free to ask our guests questions in real-time, and you can win too!

Find out more about LIPS Here: https://ladiesinternationalpokerseries.com/

We also go over this week’s home game results and discuss these topics:
How to help us out – https://rec.poker/support/
Home Games – https://rec.poker/homegame/
Go Premium! – https://rec.poker/premium/

Find our free videos at: http://youtube.com/c/RecPokerCommunity

Join the Discord group here: https://discord.gg/9aYSMCCfpv

Find more info on our sponsors at:
https://RunAces.com
https://WebsiteAMP.com

RecPoker is a vibrant and encouraging poker learning community. We are committed to learning the game, but our priority is building healthy relationships where we can not only grow in the game, but grow in our enjoyment of life. The free membership website at rec.poker is awesome, but it’s just a tool to help us build that community. You can join for FREE, giving you access to the groups, forums, and other member benefits. If you want to enjoy the premium content, or become part of the RECing Crew, those options are available, and you can get $10 off your first payment using the code RECPOKER. Music by Peter Troolin, [email protected].

Time Stamps

00:12 Welcome & Introduction
02:03 The panel talks about value bets and strategies
24:11 Introduction to Lupe Soto
29:01 Lupe shares her poker story
32:31 Lupe on playing the April event last year (2022)
36:52 Lupe talks about Poker Gives and Vegas Connected
42:34 Bringing more women to the poker game
49:09 Lupe: World Poker Tour is very female-friendly
53:37 How Purple Tie Guy was developed
01:06:26 The inspiration to start the Senior Tours
01:15:29 John: Home Game Result updates

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Mixed Game Festival IV Day 3 Recap: Eli Elezra, Norman Chad, and Dylan Linde delight the players! https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/mixed-game-festival-iv-day-3-recap-eli-elezra-norman-chad-dylan-linde/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 18:49:51 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=58022 Walking into Resorts World’s poker room it felt peaceful and chill. Players names started to appear on the waitlist for Day 3 of the Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival IV around 11:30 AM PST and an hour later the games began. The not so early, early bird game had begun.

We started playing seven handed and all agreed to start with one of Robbie Strazynski’s favorite games, “Hold’Em – Omaha” (a.k.a., “SOHE” or “SHOP”), a game where you are dealt six cards and then split your hand into one Hold’Em hand and one Omaha hand before the flop. Other poker games in the rotation included Drawmaha, 2-7 triple draw, Badugi, Omaha Best Best, Super Stud, and Badeucey. Apparently, someone called Razz on Robbie, but I was unable to find anyone who could corroborate his tweet.

Soon we were joined by Dylan Linde and we had a full game! Linde stopped by to enjoy playing some of the mixed games with the attendees of the Mixed Game Festival and to sign copies of his book Mastering Mixed Games, which can be obtained during the festival for a discounted price of $20, of which proceeds benefit the charity Poker Gives. They are a non-profit organization that distributes funds to assist military families, homeless veterans, and youth programs in Las Vegas, Nevada. While playing at the table, Dylan was happy to answer any questions about games and gave out advice about how hands were played. Scott, a newer player from Florida who is quickly finding the enjoyment of mixed games, took full advantage of this as he is learning how to navigate the poker hands.

The waitlist quickly filled up as more players started to find their way back to Day 3 of the Mixed Game Festival. Plenty of great merch, including hoodies (courtesy of PokerGO and RunGoodGear), portable poker table mats (courtesy of BBO Poker Tables), and books (courtesy of D&B Poker) were being given away to players via randomly drawn splash pots.

Players could find a mix game at many different levels. There main games for the festival were $4/$8 but if that wasn’t enough to get your blood pumping you could test your skill at $8/$16, and the regular $80/$160 and $300/$600 mixed were also running in the room. The room was full of poker players and you could hear the laughter emanating from all tables as they enjoyed themselves in playing the countless different variations of poker.

Poker Hall of Famer Eli Elezra came to Resorts World to join in on the fun and sign copies of his autobiography Pulling the Trigger. He decided to sit down and show Robbie how to play his stack and splashed around a bit while we all played Baduecy.

Numerous players were excited about getting the chance to play with Eli, but perhaps nobody more than Florida’s Brian Dowd, who recorded a short video to document the moment.

Eli Elezra Brian Dowd

Legendary poker commentator Norman Chad also came out to play. He was not due to appear until Day 4 but could not resist the chance to mixed it up at the felt. Players almost had the opportunity to watch him go heads up against Eli Elezra in a Dealer’s Choice game, but Norman politely declined, informing Eli that he was in attendance for the fans!

The games kept running into the night and until the wee hours of the morning. The mixed games outlasted all the other tables in the room. Some players even made a late night delivery order of pizza so that they could continue to play without having to leave the game. The final orbit we all agreed to play “Fun Under the Gun”. A game where the players are dealt their hands but then the under the gun player gets to look at their hand and decide what game to play. Typically this game is played with four cards but to give us more options the game was played with five. The $4/$8 game finally broke around 6:30 AM as players said they would see each other in a few hours to start another game. An $8/$16 game was still running, the last table with players in the room. It would not be surprising to see everyone bright an early, but not so early, for Day 4 of the Mixed Game Festival.

Day 4 and 5 Preview

Wednesday will feature the continuation of dealer’s choice cash games. WSOP $10K HORSE bracelet winner Chris “Fox” Wallace will be in attendance with his pen ready to sign copies of his book Getting Started with HORSE. Copies of the book can be obtained for $25, with proceeds benefitting Poker Gives. Thursday will feature the festival’s marquee event, a $260 H.O.R.S.E. tournament with a chance to win an EPT Prague prize package, sponsored by PokerStars. The package with an estimated total value of over $3,000 will include:

  • €550 buy-in to a Mixed Game tournament
  • Roundtrip airfare for one
  • Four nights’ accommodation

Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Mixed Game Festival is truly one of the best events to look forward to in Las Vegas. Where else will you see poker celebrities who usually tee off for nosebleed stakes mixing it up with weekend warriors and home game heroes?

Many laughs, hugs, and bad beats are shared as players spend time catching up with each other and teaching different forms of poker. It doesn’t matter how good you are at poker; we just want to share our passion for the many, many games. Don’t be shy about joining us for a few orbits. Trust me, it will be the most fun you will ever have losing money. I myself didn’t book a win and I still ended the day — er, morning? — with a big smile.

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Mixed Game Festival IV Day 2 Recap: Miami John Cernuto Adds to His Legend https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/mixed-game-festival-iv-day-2-recap-miami-john-cernuto/ Tue, 21 Mar 2023 18:50:55 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=57984 Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Mixed Game Festival IV at Resorts World Las Vegas held its first of two tournaments yesterday. A full house of 61 players entered the $260 Omaha 8/Stud 8 tournament, including a cavalcade of mixed game poker legends and rising stars. A couple tables of $4/8 Dealer’s Choice cash games were also running simultaneously alongside the tournament. Seated amongst the recreational players were Matt Savage, Chip and Karina Jett, Jan Fisher, and Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson, as well as Ari Engel and “Miami” John Cernuto. The latter two poker legends would end up playing heads up for the title, with Cernuto ultimately prevailing.

Robbie Strazynski, owner and founder of Cardplayer Lifestyle, is hosting the festival from March 19-23 at Resorts World. The Festival will include cash games and culminate with a $260 H.O.R.S.E. tournament on Thursday March 23rd. In addition to the regular prize pool, the tournament will award EPT Prague prize to the winner, sponsored by PokerStars.

Chuck, Chip, Matt, and Linda

Chuck, Chip, Matt, and Linda

An exciting addition to the Omaha 8/Stud 8 tournament was bubble protection in the form of free poker training memberships donated courtesy of Pokercoaching.com. Bubble protection will also be in place for Thursday’s H.O.R.S.E. tournament.

Pokercoaching.com’s Justin Saliba also stopped by yesterday with additional free merchandise to hand out to players in bomb pots throughout the festival. Justin is a professional poker player with two WSOP bracelets, and was taught by one of the best. He reached out to Jonathan Little while still in college, offering to intern at the company in exchange for poker coaching. He is now a part of Pokercoaching.com and feels strongly about growing poker and being able to learn to play at a $4/8 level.

Justin Saliba

Me, speaking with Justin Saliba

Justin “just loved coming and playing $4/8 and learning all these different games. And when the World Series comes around (and) there’s a $1,500 O8 tournament I can say I’ve played this before.” Justin shared that he learned poker along with his older brother, and played in a neighborhood game, watching Main Event reruns in the background.

“Book bomb pots” were also a fun addition to the tournament on Monday, with multiple players winning Eli Elezra’s autobiography Pulling the Trigger. Poker Hall of Famer Eli Elezra will be signing copies of his book Tuesday March 21st for a discounted price of $10. Additional book winners included James Basham from St. Louis, who attended Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival III that was held in Malta. He’d already planned a trip to Las Vegas with eight of his friends when he found out about the Festival. He then changed his plans and came to Las Vegas early.

Book Winner

Debi Cheek, Danny Anton, and Clyde Gaskins also won books, with Clyde also winning a sweatshirt courtesy of premium poker industry brands RunGoodGear and PokerGO.

Dylan Linde enjoyed Monday’s festivities and will also be attending the Festival on Tuesday, March 21st, to sign copies of his book Mastering Mixed Games, which will be available for purchase at a discounted price of $25. On Wednesday March 22nd, WSOP bracelet winner Chris Wallace will be signing copies of his book Getting Started With HORSE also at a discounted price of $25.

Jan Fisher

Jan Fisher

A portion of all proceeds derived from book sales will be donated to Poker Gives, a non-profit organization that distributes funds to assist military families, homeless veterans, and youth programs in Las Vegas. Originally founded by Linda Johnson, Lisa Tenner, Jan Fisher, and the late Mike Sexton, Poker Gives is a fully volunteer organization, with every dollar donated going to the cause. During a break in the tournament action, Johnson spoke for a couple minutes about the mission of Poker Gives to the assembled crowd, and about the beauty of being able to assist the homeless community in Las Vegas thanks to the generosity of poker players, who donate both money and time to volunteering for the cause.

The $260 Omaha 8/Stud 8 tournament was not the only action running on Monday. A couple of $4/8 Dealer’s Choice tables were running all day featuring players like Sean McCormack, Director of Poker Strategy at MGM Resorts International, and Ryan Kirk, Director of Poker Operations at the Aria. Cody Meyer from Nebraska was back at the table, along with Ruth Sun from San Jose after enjoying the first day of the festival.

Resorts World has been a huge part of this festival, providing an atmosphere that you can relax in yet feel Leon Wheeler’s superb professionalism as the venue’s Director of Poker Operations.

Leon Wheeler

Leon Wheeler

Miami John Cernuto Wins Another One

After 13 grueling hours weaving and winding his way through the Allen Kessler “Chainsaw approved” tournament structure, “Miami” John Cernuto took down top prize of the day’s tournament at approximately 2:45 am local time.

Some notables making the final table alongside Cernuto were Chip Jett, Women in Poker Hall of Famer Jan Fisher, World Poker Tour Executive Tour Director Matt Savage, and WSOP bracelet winner Ari Engel.

“Old school” defeated the “new school” as Cernuto offered a hearty handshake to Engel when winning the final Stud 8 hand.

Cash games will continue running Tuesday and Wednesday and the grand prize will be handed to the winner of Thursday’s $260 H.O.R.S.E. tournament. The prize will include an EPT Prague prize package for the winner, sponsored by PokerStars. The package, with an estimated total value of over $3,000, will consist of:

  • Mixed Game tournament buy-in up to €550
  • Roundtrip airfare for one
  • Four nights’ accommodation
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Mixed Game Festival IV Day 1 Recap: Poker, Pizza and Prizes https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/mixed-game-festival-iv-day-1-recap-poker-pizza-and-prizes/ Mon, 20 Mar 2023 16:15:47 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=57960 Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Mixed Game Festival IV started off yesterday with a flurry of players coming from all over the country to enjoy the camaraderie, mixed games, and Resorts World Las Vegas premier poker room. Robbie Strazynski, owner and founder of Cardplayer Lifestyle, is hosting the festival from March 19-23. It will include cash games and two tournaments, a $260 Omaha 8/Stud 8 tournament starting at 2pm today, and a $260 H.O.R.S.E. tournament on Thursday March 23rd.

Mixed Game Festival IV

Origin of Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Mixed Game Festival

Robbie created the Mixed Game Festival after thinking “I wish I could attend something like this (mixed game festival)” and he turned it into a reality. This is the fourth Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival. The first was held at Westgate Las Vegas in October 2021.

Robbie played his first mixed game when he was eight, with his father Josef Strazynski, and other members of his extended family. Josef taught him games such as stud, 5-card-draw, baseball, and deuces wild. Robbie’s interest in a multitude of games was piqued, and now manifests itself through Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Mixed Game Festivals, including this latest incarnation where poker players from as far afield as Florida, Ohio, Salt Lake City and even north of the border in Canada, have traveled to join in the fun.

Eric Potterton traveled to Las Vegas from Ohio, and decided to enjoy not just March Madness, but the Mixed Game Festival as well. It’s his first festival, and his love for mixed games spurred him to join the crowd today. Cody Meyer, similar to Eric, was visiting from Nebraska, and after hearing of the upcoming event via Facebook decided to come. Alisa and Jeff Eberhard, visiting from Salt Lake City, Utah, both decided to make their way down Interstate 15 to join in the fun as well. This is Jeff’s third Festival and the first time his wife Alisa has been in attendance.

Mike, Brian, and Scott at Cardplayer Lifestyle's Mixed Game Festival IV

Mike, Brian and Scott

Mike Serrano attended Mixed Game Festival II, also held at the Resorts World poker room, and had such a great time he made a point to come again. One of Mike’s friends Brian Dowd has also attended before and brought his friend Scott Sandoval from Florida. Yesterday, Scott was one of the lucky winners of Dylan Linde’s book Mastering Mixed Games. Ruth Sun from San Jose also won a copy of Linde’s book and is looking forward to getting her copy signed by the author, who will be in attendance tomorrow, on Tuesday, March 21st. Copies, if not won in “book bomb pots” will be available for purchase at the discounted price of $20.

Ruth Sun

Ruth Sun

On Wednesday March 22, WSOP bracelet winner Chris Wallace will be signing copies of his book Getting Started With HORSE also at a discounted price of $25. Rounding out this trio is venerated Poker Hall of Famer, Eli Elezra, who will be signing copies of his autobiography Pulling the Trigger for a discounted price of $10.

Donations to Poker Gives

A portion of all proceeds derived from book sales will be donated to Poker Gives, a non-profit organization that distributes funds to assist military families, homeless veterans, and youth programs in Las Vegas. Originally founded by Linda Johnson, Lisa Tenner, Jan Fisher, and the late Mike Sexton, Poker Gives is a fully volunteer organization, with every dollar donated going to the cause. Moreover, volunteers donate time either cooking or handing out food that itself was donated.

Robbie Strazynski

The party kicked off with pizza, one of Resorts World’s many contributions to the festival and very soon thereafter action kicked off at three tables, which ran concurrently for close to 12 hours.

George Chao of BBO Poker Tables donated portable poker table mats to the Festival. George initially met Robbie many years ago, appearing as a guest on his podcast. The two have since become big supporters of each other’s endeavors. George started his company 16 years ago in California’s Bay Area after realizing there was a lack of affordable, well-made poker tables. The manufacturing was either inexpensive and poorly executed, or good quality but wildly expensive. George filled this need, and now provides 60-70% of his business directly to consumers while also working with clients such as the World Poker Tour.

Resorts World Poker Room Staff

Other exciting aspects of the Mixed Game Festival are bubble protection for both tournaments, with free poker training site memberships donated courtesy of Pokercoaching.com. There will also be multiple daily merchandise giveaways courtesy of premium poker industry brands such as RunGoodGear, D&B Poker Publishing, and PokerGO.

Grand Prize Mixed Game Package for EPT Prague

The grand prize awarded to the winner of Thursday’s upcoming $260 H.O.R.S.E. tournament includes an EPT Prague prize package for the winner, sponsored by PokerStars and valued at over $3,000, which will consist of:

  • Mixed Game tournament buy-in up to €550
  • Roundtrip airfare for one
  • Four nights’ accommodation

The estimated total value of the prize package is over $3,000.

With the feel of playing in the world’s best and largest home game combined with the setting of a world-class casino, Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Mixed Game Festival brings together a mixture of friends you already know and friends you just met. Plus, especially in Las Vegas, you never know which vaunted poker pro or industry superstar might show up to splash around and join in the festivities.

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2020 Holiday Gift Guide for Poker Players https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/2020-holiday-gift-guide-for-poker-players/ Wed, 25 Nov 2020 12:47:50 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=42498 The holidays are here once again, and that means it’s time for good cheer, positivity, and — of course — gift giving. For the fifth consecutive year, Cardplayer Lifestyle is proud to offer our readers this Holiday Gift Guide for Poker Players. Especially as 2020 has been a year like no other, with the year drawing to a close it’s that much more important to focus on things that can make us happy and bring us smiles.

We’ve amassed a wide variety of gift giving ideas for you to consider, whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for your poker-loving partner or, alternatively, just want to treat yourself to something nice this holiday season.

As always, many of our featured vendors are offering exclusive holiday discounts to Cardplayer Lifestyle readers, so be sure to take advantage of them. We hope you enjoy this year’s guide!

Holiday Gift Guide 2020

RED CHIP POKER PRO MEMBERSHIP

The PRO Membership from Red Chip Poker is the perfect study tool for beginner-intermediate players, and the perfect gift to give yourself if you’d like to start improving your poker game. PRO not only includes 24/7 streaming access to hundreds of in-depth training videos, you get complete access to CORE as well. CORE is the most comprehensive poker syllabus with 200+ lessons, the brand-new Bulletproof Ranges, and a complete MTT sub-course taught by a WSOP bracelet winner Chris “Fox” Wallace.

PRO is growing it’s beginner-oriented GTO content, everything from exact solver ranges applicable to your game to practical applications of GTO concepts. You can even help them choose what GTO ideas to explore next as they have an active Monker Solver server running.

More intermediate players will love the new 15+ lesson master class on bet sizing alongside series on live poker, range building, and more. There is no shortage of material for you to study and make significant improvements to your poker strategy. You don’t need to play professionally to study like a PRO with Red Chip Poker!


FRESH CLEAN TEES

Ready to give the gift of comfort, maybe even to yourself? We’ve got you covered. Co-founded by Matthew Parvis, who previously worked in the poker industry for 10+ years, you can expect the softest and most comfortable tee shirts, hoodies, and more from FreshCleanTees.com.

Easily set you basics on auto-pilot with their VIP subscribe and save plans, or stock up on hoodies for those long sessions at the tables. Seriously, when every tee shirt or hoodie in your closet becomes your FAVORITE hoodie or tee shirt, you’ll hit the tables with confidence and be ready to play your best.

From now through Cyber Monday, the FreshCleanTees.com Black Friday sale is on, saving you 30% off site-wide. If you’re reading this and missed their Black Friday sale, you can use coupon code CPLIFE25 for 25% off your first purchase. 
 
Check them out at FreshCleanTees.com

POKERCOACHING.COM PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP

Poker Coaching Premium is the best way to learn to play poker like the pros. Founded by 2-time WPT Champion, Jonathan Little, the Poker Coaching pros have combined for tournament cashes over $50 million. If you’ve ever wondered the right way to play a hand, take the Poker Coaching interactive quizzes where you play a hand and get instant feedback from our pros.

If you’re looking to build your fundamentals, PokerCoaching offers courses like the Cash Game Masterclasses where you can build your game from the ground up. Poker Coaching Premium also offers weekly live webinars and opportunities for personalized instruction including hand history reviews and office hours.

Become a shark at PokerCoaching.com.


FADED SPADE PLAYING CARDS

Faded Spade is the new face of cards and preferred playing cards of the World Poker Tour as seen on Fox Sports TV!

Beyond WPT programming, you’ve also seen Faded Spade poker playing cards in play on NBC Sports, PokerGO, Twitch, YouTube and more during poker programs like Poker After Dark, Super High Roller Bowl, Poker Masters, US Poker Open, Run It Up Reno, and each new Heartland Poker Tour episode.

Faded Spade poker playing cards are known for their fresh face card designs and high quality 100% plastic that has an intentional balance of strength and flexibility. Decks are available in Poker Size 2.0 (Wide), Bridge Size 2.0 (Narrow), and 4-Color 2.0.

Faded Spade Playing Cards

Holiday Gift Guide Special: Use promo code CPL to order a new two-deck set and get 15% off your entire order at fadedspade.com. You’ll also find some brand new apparel options!


RUN IT ONCE TRAINING

If you want to start taking your game seriously in 2021 you’ll find everything you need to back up your commitment at Run It Once Training. Launched in 2012 by high stakes legend Phil Galfond, Run It Once has always been the place for dedicated poker players to advance to the next level and stay ahead of their opponents.

The slogan ‘Train With the Best’ does not only reflect that you’ll learn from the highest-tier coaches like Jason Koon, Ben ‘Sauce123’ Sulsky, or Phil Galfond himself. It also means you’ll benefit from a community of students that have the highest aspirations in poker and are often professional players themselves.

Members of Run It Once Training Plans get access to an expansive library of over 5,800 training videos, with two brand new videos every single day to make sure you’re always learning the newest strategies. No matter which form of poker you play or which area of your game you need to work on: Run It Once has you covered.

Just starting out in poker or want to transition to a new game format? Run It Once Courses were specifically designed for new players who want to start learning poker from the beginning, the right way. The courses follow a carefully crafted learning journey until you have the proper foundation you need to expand your game to the highest levels.

If you need help planning the perfect poker gift for your loved ones, reach out to Run It Once Support and we’ll assist you every step of the way.


BBO POKER TABLES

When you’re shopping for your dream poker table, you want the best, and there’s no better than BBO Poker Tables, official poker table provider of the World Poker Tour.

BBO Poker Tables has just debuted their brand new Signature Series of tables designed by WSOP Champions Jamie Gold and Joe Cada, as well as poker pros Lexy Gavin and Alec Torelli. What better gift for the holidays is there than treating yourself to your very own championship-caliber poker table?!

Featuring exclusive materials, customized layouts, and hi-tech features like built-in USB chargers, you’ll be primed to receive a poker table that truly delivers the goods.

Joe Cada Lumen HD

Whether you want to order one of the Signature Series models or prefer to customize your very own bespoke poker table for your home game, configuring your dream table is simple via the BBO website.

And of course, shipping is always FREE.


SPLITSUIT POKER WORKBOOKS

Poker workbooks are the perfect way to improve your game between sessions. Especially for players who have read a few books and watched a few training videos, workbooks lay out the off-table exercise that helps you build a deep intuition of key poker concepts. Both launched in 2020, James “Splitsuit” Sweeney‘s workbooks collectively contain over 3,000 questions and come with complete answer keys. You also get a companion course that shows you exactly how to do every single chapter.

Splitsuit Poker Workbooks

The Preflop & Math Workbook is more focused on beginner-intermediate players who need to solidify their mathematical approach. The Postflop Workbook is more intermediate-advanced focused with complex explorations into flop textures, EV calculations, and bet sizing. Start making your real-time decisions stronger by doing these workbooks between poker sessions!

Treat yourself to these two poker workbooks for the holidays, and Splitsuit will happily provide FREE shipping!


PokerGO SUBSCRIPTION

PokerGO is the premier worldwide destination for watching live poker tournaments, high-stakes cash games, and original poker shows. This makes PokerGO the essential holiday gift for your poker loving friends and family.

Especially with favorites like Poker After Dark and High Stakes Poker coming back with all-new episodes beginning December 13th and 16th, respectively, now is the BEST time to subscribe!

PokerGO

Stream the world’s biggest tournaments on PokerGO like the World Series of Poker, Super High Roller Bowl, Poker Masters, U.S. Poker Open, and much more. If you miss any of the Live action from the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas, it’s all available On Demand anytime, anywhere.

PokerGO is also home to exclusive, original programming like the acclaimed Legends of the Game mini-series and the poker game show, The Big Blind. If you’re in the mood to binge some poker, PokerGO has a vast library full of thousands of hours of additional poker programming.

Pound for pound, PokerGO is simply the best poker app on the planet.

Get in the game this holiday season and sign up today; use code POKER for $30 an annual subscription.


SHUFFLE TECH’S MDS-6 MULTI-DECK SHUFFLER

This holiday season is the perfect time to treat yourself and your home game buddies to a great, unique gift: upgrade your poker game with an automatic shuffler! The all-new Shuffle Tech MDS-6 is already the best home game shuffling product on the market. Effortlessly shuffling up to six decks at a time, this machine is guaranteed to improve on manual shuffle time, allowing you to get many more hands in per session.

Shuffle Tech MDS-6 automatic shuffle

The MDS-6 comes fully equipped with four decks of COPAG playing cards, and it runs both on direct power or battery operated (4 x D-sized). Plus, you also get a 1-year warranty!

We ship worldwide! For more information, visit us at www.shuffletech.com.


ARIA POKER ROOM

Holiday season is the perfect time to take a poker vacation, and what better destination is there than the poker capital of the world, Las Vegas! Once your flight has touched down, make a beeline straight to the award-winning Aria Poker Room.

Aria Poker Room

Aria Poker Room

Two dozen luxurious tables await your arrival, where you can play every poker variant from Texas Hold’em to a dealer’s choice mix. We’ve got a great cash game for you to take a seat in no matter the size of your bankroll. If you prefer tournaments, we run plenty of them every day of the week, too.

Be sure to ask for our special poker room rates ahead of your arrival, so you can reserve your stay at the top hotel and resort on the Las Vegas Strip and be right in the heart of all the action!


THE GIFT OF GIVING, WITH POKER GIVES & MIKE SEXTON

While it’s always fun to get and give gifts during the holiday season, there’s nothing like the gift of giving. Poker Gives was originally founded by Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher, Lisa Tenner, and the late Mike Sexton as a way for poker players and the poker industry to give back to worthwhile charity organizations. A fully volunteer-run organization now administered by Lupe Soto, 100% of all funds donated to the cause are funneled to the charitable efforts. The non-profit’s aim is to raise funds through poker events and private donations and distribute them on behalf of the poker world to their direct service programs.

Poker Gives

Cardplayer Lifestyle is proud to have partnered with Poker Gives for this special holiday offer: If you make a donation of $20 or more to Poker Gives, the organization will send you a copy of one of Mike’s two books, Shuffle Up and Deal or Life’s a Gamble.

To take advantage of this special holiday giving offer, please send screenshot proof of your donation to [email protected] and mention the 2020 Cardplayer Lifestyle Holiday Gift Guide for Poker Players, and the book you prefer to receive.

*** Free shipping within the U.S. only. Please note you’ll have to add postage if you live outside the United States. ***

Mike Sexton books


Wishing all of our readers here at Cardplayer Lifestyle a happy holiday season!

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